US getting back into Iraq fight

[Thebobo]

Interesting the number of Blonde hair blue eyed Yazidis. She is quite striking.

 

[trenchfoot]

Bombing is a lot more accurate now than it was then.

So true. Yet, in the confusing haze of battle, we still suffered friendly fire casualties in our most recent wars.

edit - I must temper my comment with the fact that I don't know how many casualties we actually suffered from mistakenly aimed aerial bombing. I'll look into that.

 

[K1052]

US (though the CIA) to directly arm the peshmerga.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/11/us-arm-peshmerga-iraq-kurdistan-isis

Looks like mostly small arms and ammunition to start.

 

[kage69]

US (though the CIA) to directly arm the peshmerga.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/11/us-arm-peshmerga-iraq-kurdistan-isishttp://

Looks like mostly small arms and ammunition to start.

Good news. The peshmerga cleaned out 2 villages I heard this morning, but had to halt and retreat as they ran out of ammo.

Nice to see some direct assistance happening. I was worried DC was going to pull another fuckup like they did in Afghanistan when they allowed Pakistan to be the logistics middleman between us and Masood. At this point I trust the Maliki government about as much as I do the Pakistani government under an ISI yoke.

I hope the Kurds get all the ammo and grenades they need, as well as some AF JTACs to help with any armor or bad situations. If we're lucky, these ISIL bastards will congregate somewhere at some point for a big push, at which point the Air Force can motor by with a gift wrapped Daisy Cutter, just for them. I hope someone or a drone films it. Seeing these toddler beheading fundies get pulped would definitely bring a smile to my face.



Edit: That link doesn't work btw

 

[Nebor]

I hope the Kurds get all the ammo and grenades they need, as well as some AF JTACs to help with any armor or bad situations.

There are already US Army Special Forces advisors embedded with them. Though the thought of a B-1 bombing captured M1 Abrams tanks doesn't sit well with me.

 

[norseamd]

There are already US Army Special Forces advisors embedded with them. Though the thought of a B-1 bombing captured M1 Abrams tanks doesn't sit well with me.

As long as non-ISIS fighters are away from the tank when they are destroyed the radioactive dust might not be a problem as long as it is in the desert or other open terrain. If this is in the city then those fighters who go through the wreckage or those who live or move around through the area might have medical problems from breathing that radioactive dust.

 

[Nebor]

As long as non-ISIS fighters are away from the tank when they are destroyed the radioactive dust might not be a problem as long as it is in the desert or other open terrain. If this is in the city then those fighters who go through the wreckage or those who live or move around through the area might have medical problems from breathing that radioactive dust.

What exactly do you think is radioactive in a wrecked Abrams?

 

[shortylickens]

We need to stop policing the world. Its not a moral issue, its a practical one.
America simply isnt very good at it. Every conflict since WWII should have taught us that.

We can only win when we have loads of help and little resistance. And a local populace who supports us overwhelmingly.

 

[squarecut1]

We need to stop policing the world. .

If it was policing, then we'd be all over Africa where such terrible atrocities have been happening for so long

 

[kage69]

There are already US Army Special Forces advisors embedded with them. Though the thought of a B-1 bombing captured M1 Abrams tanks doesn't sit well with me.

And? Of course we've had SF in the north, but they and JTACs aren't mutually exclusive, not to mention have different training and priorities in theater. Regardless, as long as ordinance is directed right where it needs to go I don't really give a damn who is holding the mic or laser.

I'm actually not too worried about the Abrams that ISIL picked up. They are consumptive, complex machines that don't suffer operator ignorance at all well. I have a hard time believing the average ISIL fuckwad who is dumb enough to believe in his religious agenda will be able to operate the fire control systems. The first guy who tries to be a loader in a fight will be grabbing the wrong loads, maybe lose a hand or arm in the breech. How long will they run when no one is replacing the intake filters? A week? Maybe 2?
If M1s were designed to be used by a conscript army, it'd be different. As I'm sure you know, the M1 ain't no T-55. I'm more worried about some of the newer systems and maybe armor samples making it out of theater and to other countries for analysis. The artillery they have is a lot simpler to use and move than the tanks, and much easier to maintain. I see them as bigger threats to those on the ground than the tanks.



As long as there are no friendlies sitting in them, I don't care if they JDAM the lot of them. We deny equipment to our adversaries in that way all the time, and it's not like we don't have a fair number of spare Abrams either.

 

[unokitty]

We need to stop policing the world. Its not a moral issue, its a practical one.
America simply isnt very good at it. Every conflict since WWII should have taught us that.

We can only win when we have loads of help and little resistance. And a local populace who supports us overwhelmingly.

++
The 643,000 tons of bombs that we dropped on Vietnam weren't enough.

How many tons are we going to drop in Iraq before we discover that its not enough?

Uno
Sentry Dog Handler
US Army, 69-71

 

[kage69]

What exactly do you think is radioactive in a wrecked Abrams?

My guess is he's referring to the DU alloy we added to existing protection on later model Abrams. It's not radioactive enough to constitute a radiation risk, but smashed into dust the chemically toxic particles can be inhaled or ingested.

Which wouldn't be fun.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I'm not entirely comfortable arming the kurds. Sounds good in theory but all too often best intentions means weapons used against us later. Besides, our most valuable ally around those parts is Turkey and they and the Kurds don't play nice. In fact a Kurdish organization had the nasty habit of putting bombs in mailboxes. It wouldn't be cool if out stuff was used against the Turks.

 

[K1052]

I'm not entirely comfortable arming the kurds. Sounds good in theory but all too often best intentions means weapons used against us later. Besides, our most valuable ally around those parts is Turkey and they and the Kurds don't play nice. In fact a Kurdish organization had the nasty habit of putting bombs in mailboxes. It wouldn't be cool if out stuff was used against the Turks.

Apparently relations have warmed considerably (from what they were) between the Kurds and the Turks. Turkish companies are investing heavily in Kurdish Iraq. The Turkish foreign minister pretty much went "meh" in reaction to news that we're arming the peshmerga. If the Iraqi Kurds collapsed their problems would multiply rather quickly.

 

[MongGrel]

*Warning, VERY Graphic *

And I'm wanting nukes involved now.

I'd be starting WWIII atm probably.

http://www.catholic.org/news/interna...y.php?id=56339

http://catholic.org/news/internation...y.php?id=56504

http://www.catholic.org/news/interna...y.php?id=56507

I'll settle in a bit, but I didn't even find the ones of three year old's beheaded.

There's an idea of the pics, enter at your own risk.

 

[MongGrel]

Apparently relations have warmed considerably (from what they were) between the Kurds and the Turks. Turkish companies are investing heavily in Kurdish Iraq. The Turkish foreign minister pretty much went "meh" in reaction to news that we're arming the peshmerga. If the Iraqi Kurds collapsed their problems would multiply rather quickly.

Yes, it seems they like having them in that buffer zone between ISIS and Turkey.

 

[Nebor]

*Warning, VERY Graphic *

And I'm wanting nukes involved now.

I'd be starting WWIII atm probably.

http://www.catholic.org/news/interna...y.php?id=56339

http://catholic.org/news/internation...y.php?id=56504

http://www.catholic.org/news/interna...y.php?id=56507

I'll settle in a bit, but I didn't even find the ones of three year old's beheaded.

There's an idea of the pics, enter at your own risk.

These guys are begging the American religious right to push the US into a ground-war here.

This is very radical Islam. Christians should be treated as second class citizens, not murdered.

 

[kage69]

And? Of course we've had SF in the north, but they and JTACs aren't mutually exclusive, not to mention have different training and priorities in theater. Regardless, as long as ordinance is directed right where it needs to go I don't really give a damn who is holding the mic or laser.

I'm actually not too worried about the Abrams that ISIL picked up. They are consumptive, complex machines that don't suffer operator ignorance at all well. I have a hard time believing the average ISIL fuckwad who is dumb enough to believe in his religious agenda will be able to operate the fire control systems. The first guy who tries to be a loader in a fight will be grabbing the wrong loads, maybe lose a hand or arm in the breech. How long will they run when no one is replacing the intake filters? A week? Maybe 2? I doubt many who might find themselves behind the wheel of one of the M1s will be adequately fluent with it's cross country characteristics the way someone would if they spent a few months having fun at Ft. Knox. Can you imagine how hard it would be to replace tank tracks if you've never done it before, with the first time quite possibly being under fire? lol
If M1s were designed to be used by a conscript army, it'd be different. As I'm sure you know, the M1 ain't no T-55. I'm more worried about some of the newer systems and maybe armor samples making it out of theater and to other countries for analysis. The artillery they have is a lot simpler to use and move than the tanks, and much easier to maintain. I see them as bigger threats to those on the ground than the tanks.



As long as there are no friendlies sitting in them, I don't care if they JDAM the lot of them. We deny equipment to our adversaries in that way all the time, and it's not like we don't have a fair number of spare Abrams either.

Forgot to add that I do see some danger in the odds of a collection of M1A1s being able to be crewed and supported by ISF defectors who may have had first or second hand American training in the operation of the vehicle. Those would be a different matter, and one that I hope our SF and other assets would be particularly interested in, perhaps even taking those off Kurdish hands with focused operations. Mobility kills would suffice too, and would allow the Iraqis to collect them after this is over for patch up and re-deploy. No idea how many tanks ISIL was able to seize, but I'm fairly certain it wasn't the whole batch of 140 we gave to Maliki's government. Even one of those is a valuable security asset they should get back if they can.
I really hope it doesn't come to that, our guys or the Kurds having to deal with an Abrams offensive makes me feel a little ill.

 

[norseamd]

I am sure that the Kurds have some idea of how to deal with the small numbers of tanks the the ISIS captured. M-1 are not that much power on their own. Just a tank.

 

[MongGrel]

These guys are begging the American religious right to push the US into a ground-war here.

This is very radical Islam. Christians should be treated as second class citizens, not murdered.

Yes they are.

I'd run BUFFS over anything ISIS is sitting on and it would be turning to glass atm though on that sand.

I'll go try to relax.

 

[alcoholbob]

Interesting the number of Blonde hair blue eyed Yazidis. She is quite striking.

You looking for a refugee to marry?

 

[MongGrel]

I am sure that the Kurds have some idea of how to deal with the small numbers of tanks the the ISIS captured. M-1 are not that much power on their own. Just a tank.

You don't seem to know a lot about many things you post to be honest.

 

[kage69]

I am sure that the Kurds have some idea of how to deal with the small numbers of tanks the the ISIS captured. M-1 are not that much power on their own. Just a tank.

I think this post is a great example of why people unfamiliar with modern weapons and warfare shouldn't try to opine on modern weapons and warfare.

There's a lot of info out there on the Abrams, I suggest you check it out. You can start by googling the Battle of 73 Easting.

 

[norseamd]

You don't seem to know a lot about many things you post to be honest.

You know I find it odd that you said this after you were insulted for what you thought you knew about dirt cars.

I think this post is a great example of why people unfamiliar with modern weapons and warfare shouldn't try to opine on modern weapons and warfare.

Care to explain?

 

[MongGrel]

You know I find it odd that you said this after you were insulted for what you thought you knew about dirt cars.



Care to explain?

I know much more about this than dirt cars.